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Daily Report: New York Searches for Its Anchor Tech Company

Shopping malls need anchor stores, those giant retailers that bring in shoppers with money to spend and some time to browse all the nearby little stores.

Likewise, a high-tech region needs an anchor company, that giant or at least influential company that draws in technical talent and generates the know-how and cash for another generation of start-ups and — just maybe — the next big thing to come along.

Silicon Valley and the surrounding region have had these companies for decades, from Hewlett-Packard and Intel to Facebook and Google. The Seattle area has its giants in Microsoft and Amazon. Even Austin has had its own tech powerhouse in Dell, though that company has seen better days.

But New York? The biggest city in the country has plenty of tech companies and plenty of tech workers and it is second — though a distant second — among regional tech investment. A giant that can compete with behemoths of Silicon Valley, however, remains elusive.

This week, a group of New York tech executives and investors will unveil an effort some hope will help create an environment where a homegrown company can join the ranks of tech’s biggest companies.

New York may not be able to lure tech minds with the promise of Silicon Valley’s sunny weather. But these days, it’s probably a cheaper place to live. And that’s a good start.

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